Troubled youth makes good on promise of better life for him, his family

SIGN UP FOR BREAKING NEWS

Troubled youth makes good on promise of better life for him, his family

Share

Shares

Copy Link

{copyShortcut} to copy
Link copied!

Updated: 2:23 PM MST Dec 18, 2018

Advertisement

Troubled youth makes good on promise of better life for him, his family

Share

Shares

Copy Link

{copyShortcut} to copy
Link copied!

Updated: 2:23 PM MST Dec 18, 2018

Alexander Martinez Vargas, 18, is making good on his promise of a better life for him and his family.His mother died when he was 9, and his dad left him and his five brothers a year later."(I) just grew up being troubled," Vargas said. "Having all that responsibility dumped on me was hard."After his mother's death, Vargas began hanging out with the wrong crowd, eventually landing in foster care. It was there that he was introduced to the Florida Youth ChalleNGe Academy, a military camp, where he decided to turn his life around."It was either go to FYCA, make a change, have a new start, or be in the streets, in jail, maybe prison for the things I've been doing," Vargas said. "I didn't want that lifestyle. I wanted a fresh start, to be an example for my brothers and just be better for myself."Since graduating, Vargas has moved into transitional housing. He's also secured a job and is looking forward to being reunited with his brothers."My brothers are the main reason, you know?" Vargas said. "My brothers is what drives me to be here, what drives me to be alive. Without my brothers, I don't know what I would be or what I would do."

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. —

Alexander Martinez Vargas, 18, is making good on his promise of a better life for him and his family.

Advertisement

His mother died when he was 9, and his dad left him and his five brothers a year later.

"(I) just grew up being troubled," Vargas said. "Having all that responsibility dumped on me was hard."

After his mother's death, Vargas began hanging out with the wrong crowd, eventually landing in foster care.

It was there that he was introduced to the Florida Youth ChalleNGe Academy, a military camp, where he decided to turn his life around.

"It was either go to FYCA, make a change, have a new start, or be in the streets, in jail, maybe prison for the things I've been doing," Vargas said. "I didn't want that lifestyle. I wanted a fresh start, to be an example for my brothers and just be better for myself."

Since graduating, Vargas has moved into transitional housing. He's also secured a job and is looking forward to being reunited with his brothers.

"My brothers are the main reason, you know?" Vargas said. "My brothers is what drives me to be here, what drives me to be alive. Without my brothers, I don't know what I would be or what I would do."